Shanghai Fraternity Association

The Shanghai Fraternity Association is a private club established in 1977 originally catering to members whose ancestry stems from Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu.  Over the years, it garnered a reputation for its charitable endeavours and authentic Shanghainese cuisine, and its restaurants are popular places for lunches and dinners.  During holidays, it is booked solid for celebrations with seasonal delicacies such as hairy crab, one of the club’s specialties.

Atelier Pacific worked on the renovation of the club’s 1,770 sq.m. premises from floors one through three of a Central building for its more than 4,000 members.  To cater to its core clientele of older members, the lower floors were designed with a more traditional ambience similar in feel to its previous incarnation.  The studio also created contemporary interiors for a new 590 sq.m. space on the seventh floor with the aim to attract a younger market through a fresh identity.

For both, the glory days of Shanghai during the 1920s were referenced.  A door on Wyndham Street was redesigned to offer a discreet new entry, and embellished with an Art Deco geometric pattern that alludes to stylised foliage.  The architecture along Shanghai’s The Bund was echoed in the sumptuous marble and grey terrazzo on the third floor reception.  Textured glass insets line one wall, adding visual interest in another nod to Art Deco motifs.  Lighting is dim and cosy to support a streamlined journey from the street to the table.

By emphasising the glamour of Shanghai’s past through architectural cues, a sense of the region was captured with a contemporary take on a heritage-inspired ambience.